Room 47 // Laurmani

Chapter 3

You don't really believe in fate, yet you can't help but think you were destined to meet Lauren. If Dinah hadn't told you about her you would have met her at the Power's Ranch eventually anyway. The world really does work in mysterious ways; you're suspicious because normally it's just out to get you. Keith's driving his shabby pick up truck and you've got your things thrown at the back, a weekend away from the city and sitting in the sun while Keith goofed off with his immature brothers seemed like the perfect getaway.

Now Lauren was going to be there and it somehow feels more perfect. You're always mocked for dressing up too much at the ranch but you like to look your best, but you've learned from past experience that clothes always somehow get dirty or lost at that place do you've opted to wear boots, tight jeans and a hoodie.

Keith's driving along the middle of nowhere and it's getting dark. You yawn and wonder how much further you are away. You've been to the ranch many times but you can never quite calculate how long it takes you to get there since the grainy road is usually empty and there's literally nothing much along the way to use as landmarks."How much further?"

"20 minutes I think" Keith yawns back. "Is this gonna be weird for you? Like your counselor being there?"

You told Keith that his family didn't need to worry about the new buyer for the ranch since it was Lauren. He seemed convinced by your judgment alone and you like that about Keith, he never second-guesses you.

"No," you sigh. "Well, I don't think so, she's nice enough..."

Nice enough. Understatement much? She's the most perfect person you think you've ever met.

You look to your side at Keith. He yawns as he scratches his stubble and tries to keep his eyes on the road. You love him really but do you think he's perfect? You roll your eyes at your own thoughts - nobody is perfect. Except Lauren. Maybe.

"Good, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable" Keith says.

You give a small smile and put your hand on his knee and squeeze it. He's always looking out for you, he's not just your fiancé he's kind of your best friend too. For some reason you feel guilty though. The truck suddenly rumbles and Keith's hitting the breaks but the engines already seemingly died. The truck rolls off road slightly before coming to a halt. You both lunge forward with the momentum into the dashboard. Keith turns the keys and hits the pedal to the floor to try get it starting again but it's no use.

"What the actual fuck? We better not be stuck out here, I'm not walking that far in the dark" you complain. "Please Normani, like you're brave enough to walk in the dark" Keith grins at you. You roll your eyes because you're not in the mood for his taunting, you just want to get to the ranch and go straight to bed, you're exhausted, you both set out soon after you came home from work and you haven't even had anything to eat.

"This is not how I want to spend a Friday night"

"Hold on, I'll go take a look," Keith says opening the door and slamming it shut. You roll down the window at your side and scowl at him, "you don't know the first thing about cars or fixing shit"

Your heart and brain seems to give a simultaneous jolt to your body and consciousness. You know a certain dark-haired beauty who likes to fix cars. Maybe she likes to fix people too. Keith spends about 5 minutes out there with the hood open, before he slams it shut and comes back into the truck. "Yeah uh...I have no idea" "Shocking," you say sarcastically. "Uh, this may sound weird, I don't know if she'd come but...I mean if she's already at the ranch...I suppose..."

God you're nervous. "What?" You shift around on your seat so you're facing Keith, "Lauren...my counselor? She knows how to fix cars"

"She does?" Keith screws up his face unconvinced."Yeah," you nod firmly. "If she can't fix it then she can always give us a ride there and we'll come out and get the truck later or something"